Whether you are a patient or visitor at Sunrise Hospital, we want your experience with us to be as pleasant as possible. We have provided helpful information to help you during your stay or while visiting a patient in the hospital.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Definition

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve disorder of the hand. It is caused by compression of the median nerve. The median nerve gets squeezed inside a narrow passage in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. This nerve provides feeling to the thumb, index and middle fingers, and half the ring finger.

Symptoms

Carpal tunnel syndrome causes symptoms in one or both hands or wrists.
Symptoms may include:

Tingling, burning, or numbness, especially in your thumb and index or middle fingers

Pain or numbness that worsens with:

Wrist, hand, or finger movement

Sleep—symptoms may wake you

Hand stiffness or cramping that gets better after:

Shaking your hand

Waking up in the morning

Weakness or clumsiness of your hand:

Loss of grip strength

Difficulty making a fist

Frequently dropping things

Pain that moves up your arm

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam of your arms, wrists, and hands will be done. The exam will include tests of strength, sensation, and signs of nerve irritation or damage.

Other tests may include:

Electrodiagnostic exam
—Measures and records the speed of electrical conduction in your median nerve to see if the nerve impulse in the hand is delayed

MRI scan
—A test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside your body, in this case the neck

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.